Shattered like something that can be Shattered

I used to think EBay was the most amazing thing; a place where you could go and buy really cheap stuff, akin to going to China and buying aftermarket goods for a fraction of the price you might find for it in Canada. But really, this isn't true.

EBay really isn't that great, and the stuff they have for sale isn't actually that cheap. Of course, lots of people have starting bids at 99 cents, but they will often withdraw their listing if it hasn't reached a pre-set threshold they have by the time the offer expires.

In this, you can see EBay sucks. Sure, there are some products that you can simply
"buy now"; meaning no bidding and competing for the best prices. But these are cheap either... so yeah.

But don't take my word for. All the items I looked at so far are mostly game consoles and musical instruments... Apparently (according to my classmates) lots of items on EBay can be had for a fraction of the selling cost.

One good thing I can say about EBay is that you can get stuff that isn't sold here in Canada (obviously). Be it rare coins, gadgets or collector edition trading cards, EBay really makes shopping fun. Perhaps when I accumulate just a little bit more in my PayPal I'll take the time to do some serious shopping.

kamster

P.S. Got my first payment from PayPerPost a few days ago... To be honest, I was a little bit wary of it being a scam in the beginning, but now I know for sure it isn't. It's a great program to earn a little extra cash on the side that actually works!

Crystals... A woman's true Best Friend

I wish I knew about CrystalCrib.com before Valentine's Day. I really do! Why? This site is absolutely amazing. If you go to their site, you will see a huge collection of crystal jewelry to choose from. What do you need?

Got a special someone you need to impress? Why not check out their necklaces section? They've got all types; Bloostone, Lapis Lazuli, Coral, Onyx, Opal, Jasper, Serpentine, and much much more. No matter how picky your special someone is, you will definitely be able to find something for them at CrystalCrib.

How about a little something for your mom to thank her for all she's done for you? Why not a beautiful pair of Smoky Quartz earrings?

You get the point; CrystalCribs has lots of selection when it comes to crystal jewelry. They have even got some colorful unique crystal jewelry from Asia - including one you've probably never even heard of: ammonite.

As well, all of the jewelry from CrystalCrib is one hundred percent genuine and authentic; none of that cheap plastic or flimsy imitations you might find elsewhere. They've also got lots of types of crystal jewelry you might not find anywhere else, like multi-colored crystal necklaces, quartz earrings and much more.



And if you really want something exotic... something far away... something just plain stunning that will blow away your sweetheart (or whoever else you might be buying jewelry for), check out the sidebar at the right side of their sight for a complete list of jewelry types: Tigers Eye, Tektite, Ruby, Rhodonite, Jasper... the list just goes on and on.

If you need some unique, spectacular jewelry for your special someone, swing by CrystalCrib today.

This post sponsored by CrystalCrib.com

kamster

Romance is Dead

Why, O why, did Castro have to step down? He was so cool. And you know something? Almost all classes about anything related to governments, policies and civic stuff always condemn communism and socialism, citing references such as Marx, Stalin etc... as bad examples of communism. But in reality, if you look at it clearly, communism is actually a great idea! It's just that every time its been implemented in a society, it always falls apart because either 1) the proletarians start getting all pissy and start some revolution, or 2) the ruling class gets way too much power and doesn't try to hide it, bringing us back to 1).

But back to the point; why did Castro step down? As most people would say, he was the last real communist leader. "How about China?" Well... China's not really communist. They say they are... but they're not really. I mean, how else would China have suddenly experienced massive economical growth in such a short time? It was only a few mere decades ago when the Cultural Revolution ruined many lives and Mao Zedong's Red Army was sweeping the countryside, purging the land of all things historical and intellectual. Now, China is one of the world's leading powers. And there would be now way they could be getting this rich either, as one of the main pillars of communism is that no one or organization accumulates wealth... or maybe... they all do. I don't know.

But Cuba was definitely communist all the way. Not to say that he was hated by all his people because of this. As can be seen in most reports on TV about Cuba, there is a huge throng of people yelling his name, almost giddy with excitement just at seeing their leader speak. But now, he is gone, and I am sad. At least Raul is still there. But he seems kind of dumb. NO ONE WILL BE ABLE TO REPLACE CASTRO. No one will be able to replace the man who survived 638 attempts by the CIA to replace him (source: last week's Macleans). No one will be able to replace the man who outlast 9 US presidents. No one will be able to replace the man who once wrote to FDR as a child, "If you like, give me a ten dollar bill green American, because never, I have not seen a ten dollar bill."

Then there's Che Guevarra. Is he like still alive? And why is he on T-shirts everywhere. But he's cool too.

kamster

Boom Headshot.

If you're like me, you can't get enough of paintballing. Really, nothing beats grabbing a gun, a couple hundred balls and blasting away at some stranger 50 metres away. Except when you're gun is out of gas. Or when it just won't aim straight. Or when it keeps making gurgling noises that remind you of your sputtering '95 Civic.

If you're totally sick of those cruddy guns the stores give you, swing by Ultimate Paintball to check out all the sweet guns and equipment they have to offer. They've got it all: Tippmann, Spyder, Smart Parts, Dye, Empire, Draxxus and loads of other brands to satisfy all your paintballing needs, many of which can't be found in other paintball equipment stores.

They offer a lot of different brands and types of paintball markers such as Tippmann A-5 (TIPPMANN A5 Tippman A-5 Marker Gun FLATLINE EGRIP SET-2 pictured below) and the Spyder Pilot ACS. These are honestly some of the best markers out there, and it would do you well to check them out for yourself.

On top of this, Ultimate Paintball sells a lot of paintball gun packages as well that include not only a great marker, but other accessories to up your game such as extra paintball canisters, gun oil (to prevent jamming), gun grips, allen wrenches, operators manuals, paintball masks, carrying bags and paintball masks.

And of course, their site is easy to use with sectioned areas for paintball masks, paintball markers, paintball hoppers and all other paintball apparel. And don't forget; paying is easy via PayPal or Visa, with free shipping included!

Swing by Ultimate Paintball today and up your game!

This post sponsored by Ultimate Paintball.

kamster

Passion of the Beef

I've been playing violin for some years now. I'm much better than I used to, and some of habits and preferences concerning practice and songs I play have changed too. However today (and maybe before too but not to such an extent that I noticed and made a mental note of it) I learned something else about myself and violin: I play better when I'm pissed.

When I mean play better, I mean I take notice of the dynamics of the song (which I don't usually do; forte, piano, crescendo, etc), I play it with a lot more heart (not like a computer might play it... sort of like adding emotion to a piece. Any good violinist will tell you that a piece played exactly like it's written is going to sound like crap), I hit all the notes almost perfectly(which I sometimes don't do when I'm tired or otherwise), and I really dig my bow in and use full bows (which my teacher complains about all the time; I don't use enough of my bow). I don't know why. I guess passion just makes musicians sound better.

I mean, if you look at a lot of musical notation, you'll see a lot of Latin terms like amoroso (loving), magnifico (magnificently) and con fuoco (with fire). As you can well expect, a computer or a robot would not be able to bring any of these fully to bear, just by the fact of it being a machine. However, humans and musicians in particular can experience emotion and passion, things that I believe are required to fully express these musical styles. I guess for me, anger would really make me play con fuoco, and maybe losing a friend or getting rejected would make me play more like con dolore (with sadness). I don't know if this applies to all musicians out there reading this... but it does for me.

So yeah, go ahead get worked up before that piano exam... maybe it'll help you.

kamster

Space Saver Beds

As a student, my room is understandably, really cramped. With my study desk, books, twin bed and dresser all in one small rooms, theres only a few square feet in the middle for me to move around in. My only wish is that I had a bunk bed.

Bunk beds, as we all know, usually have two beds in the floor space of one: one underneath and one on top. However, some bunk bed models have only one bed on top, while the whole bottom half of the unit doubles as a dresser, closet and a computer study desk! This is really efficient because it squeezes almost all a child might need (room for toys, clothes, accessories) into the space of just one bed! For example, this bunk bed above is actually a full dresser, computer desk, closet, storage cavity and a bed in the space of one bed. If only someone would buy me one of those...

Also, you'll save a load of money on not having to buy a seperate dresser and storage boxes to house all the stuff a kid might need. So it's settled; a bunk bed is almost always the best solution to saving space and creating a comfortable, raised sleeping platform. To learn more about bunk and loft beds, check out Bunk Beds and Loft Beds Galore, where there's lots in stock.

This post sponsored by Bunk Beds and Loft Beds Galore.

kamster

Connecting Through Blue

One thing I've realized after getting my new phone (A Samsung SGH D807) is that the wireless connectivity network for phones and other similar devices called "Bluetooth" is extremely useful. My old phone (a really crappy basic Samsung with no camera, no mp3 player and no games) was really bad and didn't have this feature... and there wouldn't be any good reason to have it, I guess just because it wasn't an mp3 player. However, my new phone is an mp3 player also, and this makes having Bluetooth extremely useful. Basically, Bluetooth allows you to connect to other Bluetooth-enabled phones. Some phones only allow connecting to handsfree devices (for driving and those funky things people wear on their ears... which are really ugly) but some phones allow the transfer of files, such as .mp3 files (songs), games, videos and pictures,

With my new 1-gig MicroSD card (my goodness are they getting smaller everyday... its honestly like.... 1 centimetre squared... no smaller), I've been able to Bluetooth like... ten songs so far from Nick's phone, and its really great! Now I don't need to worry about stupid cables connecting your phone to the computer or stupid blocks on your computer not allowing you to transfer songs and such. Technology really is a great thing. I only wish my phone had IR (infared, another transfer method)... its much master than Bluetooth. So if you're getting a phone, make sure its Bluetooth enabled if you intend on using handsfree devices or getting music.

kamster

Do You Know What's Good For Your Kid?

What is it with us in this society today that makes us want to buy the most expensive goods out there? The hottest clothes, the most efficient machines, and now what some companies claim to be "the best and most nutritional baby food"? Any woman walking into a pharmacy today will be bombarded with images and labels on bottles of baby food claiming that each brand is "more nutritional", "more healthy" and will make your baby grow stronger and bigger than the bottle of baby food beside it! And understandably, these big companies making extravagant claims also slap extravagant prices on their "premium" brands of baby food.

However, the FDA (United States Food and Drug Administration) now has even stricter regulations than they used to. The FDA regulates many sectors of the food and medicine industry, like deciding which drugs are safe for over-the-counter sale and which are not. With recent scares of poisoned dog food and such, the FDA has stepped up their regulations even more to include baby food. This is now known as the Infant Formula Act. This act ensures that all baby food meets strict standards of nutritional requirements while ensuring it is manufactured in a safe and sanitary environment.

What is the significance of this? The fact is that now, all baby foods must meet a certain minimum nutritional and health requirement, meaning that all baby foods, no matter what they claim, are equally as beneficial to your baby! For example a jar of store brand baby food at Wal-Mart can be bought for half the price of another, "premium" brand of baby food while still providing the same level of nutrition, and it's really astonishing how many people are unaware of these regulations on baby food. So if you're a mom looking to buy baby food for your child, click the link to take the Baby Formula Quiz. Here, you will get some information about the FDA's new regulations and some facts about what's important for keeping yourself and your child healthy during and after pregnancy. I took the quiz myself (even though I'm not a mother) and I scored only 57% correct. This shows that there's lot for any person to learn about baby food. As well, if you give them your name and address, they'll mail you a free $3 off baby food coupon! So what have you got to lose? Go take the quiz today and get educated!

This post sponsored by BabyFormulaQuiz.com.

kamster

Too Full? Eat More Please

Yesterday, I inexplicably found myself at Streetsville station with a dead phone. Needing to make a call, I walked over to the Bell payphone in the corner of the station shelter and inserted 25 cents. The payphone beeped happily, and told me to insert another 25 cents. What is that. Seriously. Since when did Bell up the charge from 25 cents to 50 cents? Geez seriously... seeing as how they are totally losing out in Canada's market for home and cell phones, you might expect them to lower the charge for using a payphone to, say... 20 cents? Or 15 cents? But no, they just had to up the fee to half a dollar, sheesh.

So after inserting another quarter, the phone prompted me to make a call. After calling one number and getting a busy town, the phone prompted me to "Press button for next call". So I did. I called another number, and after getting the voice mail, it prompted me to "Press button for next call", again, So I did, And what did it say to me? "Insert 50 cents"?! Bullcrap. Seriously, I was getting seriously pissed by this time not being able to make any calls, and this phone eating my 50 cent.

After this, I dialed 0 for operator, intending to give the Bell person on the other end a piece of my mind. After reaching her, I told her that the payphone had eaten my 50 cents. She replied by saying "Ok, I'll give you your money back, but you have to hang up." At first, I thought "What is this crap?" So I asked her how this would work, but she didn't really give me an answer. So I hung up. At first I thought she would send a remote signal to the phone to get it to spit out my 50 cents, but after waiting 5 minutes, I realized that maybe that's not what she meant. Perhaps she meant for me to pick up the phone and realizing that she had electronically "inserted" another 50 cents for me to use to make a call. But before I could figure that out, my ride arrived.

This whole incident left me wondering a few things:

Why couldn't she just have patched me through from her location?

• Why did the phone not show me that it had a 50 cent credit in it?


• Why in the world did they raise the fee from 25 cents to 50 cents?


• Why do they make you pay 50 cents for one call, instead of allowing you to make as many calls as you can in one minute?


• When did Bell start to suck?

Anyways, I think I'll just stick to having my phone charged all the time.

-----

I've added a new link to the sidebar to my friend ctyctycty's blog, That's So In: http://www.ctyctycty.blogspot.com/. It's a pretty interesting new blog about my friend's ideas on fashion... and other stuff. Maybe.

kamster

Hot is Cold and Cold is Cold

What is it about religions like Christianity, Islam and Judaism that seems to cause great conflicts like the one raging in the middle-east today? Is it opposing views or is it something deeper? I, being a christian have always wondered is it just some sects of Islam, Judaism and Christianity that spark these feuds, or is it something universal in all religions? Well today after hearing something my dad had to say, I realize that most religions (however impossible this may sound) share alot in common; don't kill people, don't steal, treat people how you want to be treated, et cetera. But how is it that, although most religions share these basic principles, that there is so much war and dischord today?

I've come to the conclusion that it is a few certain things that people from different religions disagree over; not things that a outsider might assume to cause strife (religion a says kill, religion b says don't kill). Instead, it is such things as Christians trying to convince others that Jesus died and rose from the dead, and Muslims trying to convince people that Allah is the sole, true god. As well, (taking Islam and Christianity as examples) Christians and Muslims disagree on other such things as the afterlife. But it really balls down to this; that if either religion turns out to be phony, then we're all screwed.

Sorry if I'm sounding a bit abstract and stupid right now, but I'm simply trying to say that almost all religions (Buddhism, Islam, Hindu, Christianity, Jain, etc.) agree on how one should live their life, following a basic set of moral rights. However, it is probably other things like who is really god and what happens after you die that cause war and strife betweens the worlds many nations.

One thing that my dad said really struck me; that it's best not to say "I am right, you are wrong. Christianity is right, Islam is wrong." It is probably this exact thinking that causes war and hate. I'm not preaching total tolerance; but neither am I preaching intolerance. I think extremes are stupid, and like my dad said, it's better to settle on a middle ground. If all peoples in this world decided not to steal, kill or rape, we'd all be living better lives, regardless of religion.

kamster

Sweet Gadgets and Cool Gifts

Are you looking for something to get your parents for their anniversary? How about a little something to thank your mom for that slick new Volvo you got for your sweet sixteenth? If you are looking for cool, out of the ordinary or just plain fun, swing by the House of Cool website to check out their catalogue of great gifts!



Of course, the gifts they stock aren't restricted to parents and mothers either. They've also got lots of different gifts for her and him, novelties and toys and games for the young ones. For the computer-savvy person on your gift list, they've got some unique gadgets like the Bendi Board Keyboard (comes in white and translucent blue!) that is waterproof and washable! They've also got comfy slippers, cameras (waterproof, too), board games and much more.

And of course, you can order your gifts on their website and have them delivered.

So save yourself the stress of shopping and swing by House of Cool's new website today for some great gift ideas!

Post sponsored by House of Cool.

kamster

Heirloom Silver

Old things are often way better than new flashy toys and stuff. Same goes for music. K-OS' song "Man I used to be" is now a couple of years old, and I simply cannot get over listening to it. I could probably listen to it about a dozen times in a row without getting bored of it. I really love his lyrics, style, mix of rap and song and mostly AMAZING use of falsetto. Ok, so I'm not a singer but that falsetto is just great. I even spent half an hour earlier today searching the web trying to find out how he does that, but I came up empty. Anyways, if you don't know, he sings:

"I tried it,
I couldn't fight it
I just wanna get back to me,
Aw baby,
Hoo Hoo!
back into the man I used to be..."

Hehe, that sounds pretty funny but it's really good if you haven't heard the song yet (0_o) then go listen to it and you'll know what I mean. Yibo can do it pretty darn good. Everytime I hear him sing that "Hoo hoo", I slap my forehead in disbelief and tell him to cut a demo. He of course refuses. Anyways, I'm going to keep practicing that except right now my throat is still raspy from retreat last week... And if you find anything on K-OS' falsetto, be sure to tell me =D. Maybe I'll post a clip of me singing when my voice improves. Or not.

kamster

p.s I also love his gliding and airwalk - it is amazing.
p.p.s I just realized that there are blood stains all over the floor of my computer room. How disgusting o_0

Old-Fashioned Values

It seems nowadays, no one values the good guy anymore. They want the bad guy, the guy that drinks, that smokes, that lies and cheats. No one appreciates the guy that internally, secretly, quietly remembers, internalizes what he knows hes gotta do. Even while all along, on the outside, flawlessly without cracks in his armor, he displays and front face, a false wall to the world. I know a few people like that, people that I used to think were just... hopeless, totally alienated. I was wrong about that. They were up there all along, just coasting by while the rest of us, most of us were really just wallowing in the mud.

Now I know what I should do. Look past what others say, and just focus on making sure you don't stray off the path. There will always be people that lie about you, talk about you and "poison the well". Sounds cheesy but... it really screw you up, hehe. Sometimes theres really nothing you can do about people like that, and the only thing you can do is to simply know, just to realize and keep it within you, that you're doing the right thing. And knowing this gives me something, however small and feeble, but something to hold on to.

Keep your head and spirits high, look up and forward, never down. Never point your reticle below the horizon, or you'll soon find yourself in a free fall that you'll be unable to pull out of. Right now, I'm tempted. "If they only knew." And I'm not going to look back in 10 years and say "They were right all along. I should've just listened to them." Hell no. Because they were wrong. They were wrong all along, and today, I'm going to be bigger than that.

kamster

Feeling Guilty? Conserve Water and Save Money!

Yup. We've all heard those public service announcements; don't leave your tap running and only water your lawn during the morning and afternoon hours where your water won't dry up in just a few minutes. As annoying as these announcements may be, we all know that they are one hundred percent true and should be heeded whenever possible. Today, Water Conservation is a big issue as many scientists talk about the earth's dwindling supply of fresh water. It is because of these sobering messages that we need to be sure not to waste water where we aren't using it effectively. So how are you going to do this? One way is by listening to those PSAs and another way is to check out Daltex Landscape and Irrigation Inc.'s website.

This landscaping and irrigation company is goaled towards giving you timely, high quality landscaping services. They specialize mostly in landscape designs and installations in residential properties in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The best thing is that by using specialized irrigation systems with Daltex Landscaping, you are ensuring that your garden and backyard stays properly watered throughout the year; no more messy hoses to untangle, no more manual watering of plants, no more getting wet turning off your sprinkler. As well, Daltex specializes in drainage projects that help to conserve water and direct water away from your home, avoiding foundation problems or mold that might come out of a soggy basement. With Daltex, you can be sure you have the best irrigation system in your cul-de-sac. And they aren't greenhorns at their trade either; they've been providing beautiful gardens and backyards for more than 10 years!

What other kinds of projects do they offer? Daltex can install beautiful garden beds and general landscaping projects, in-ground sprinklers systems (which add significant value to your home as well as saving water, time and money if they are programmed to go off at night), rustic fences, decks and arbors, stonework and patios, as well as outdoor lighting to enhance your property and its value. Of course Daltex works with only the most skilled staff, detailed workmanship and quality products, combining these with creative application and aesthetic designs.

So what have you got to lose? If you want a beautiful backyard today, contact Daltex Landscape and Irrigation Inc.

This post is sponsored by Daltex Landscape and Irrigation Inc.

kamster

Greater is the Bike

On my way home today, I started pondering things about one of today's hottest issues; climate change, and how people like you and me are contributing to it. One thing that struck me was the emphasis that governments place on public transit; they subsidize it, talk about, and make lists of benefits that can be reaped by taking the train or subway to and from work or class. I used to believe that taking the transit was the perfect situation to solving climate change? Isn't 3 hundred people on on train much better than 1 person in one car? Well the answer is it better, but not in the same way I thought. Obviously, the more people take public transit, the better it is for the environment because of reduced emissions but putting more people on a train car also increases the amount of emissions produced (as a result of the added weight => lower fuel economy => more fuel needed => more emissions produced and non-renewable resources used up). It is not so much this one fact that hit me, but the scope of how so many people think they know what climate change is and what causes it where in fact they are just scraping the tip of the iceberg.

Most people believe that driving a Prius is a great way to make up for the emissions they produce; it makes them feel less guilty. They walk around all day long feeling as if driving that car makes them immune to the the labeling of environmentalists and Al Gore. But in reality, driving that Prius means nothing if you leave your computer on overnight, or leave the tap running while you're brushing your teeth, or if you eat exotic fruits and processed meats everyday. Many things that we don't realize affect our ecological footprint actually do, and it is only when we understand these can we really say "I get what climate change is, and I recognize that things I do everyday have a significant impact on it."

I took this quiz and got... 11.3. Man, I feel really guilty because the average footprint for a Canadian is something like... 9. But it must be where I put down 25 - 100 km per week of public transit. I guess taking the subway and train isn't that good after all. Take the quiz now and see how you stack up.

kamster

Need a Quote?

Are you thinking about buying a new car? Whether you've got your eye on the off-roading FJ Cruiser, the beefy Hummer or the fuel-efficient Sedan, you need to visit CarsBlvd.com to get some Car Prices right now! Don't rush hastily into a decision you'll regret later. Drop by the CarsBlvd Car Quotes right now to get your free quote today.

Do you also need an Auto Loan? If you do, get started today with their one-minute application on their website.

CarsBlvd: The best place for free insurance quotes.

Yay for Cute Birds

So you picked up a new pet bird from Petsmart 10 minutes ago. And it's been squeaking in its cardboard box the whole way home. You forgot to buy a cage!? Well that's going to be a problem.

Having a bird as a pet can be one of the most fulfilling experiences in your life. They are in general amazing intelligent, smart, elegant and sweet animals that you can have as your companion. But all this doesn't come for free. There are many things that you must take into consideration in caring for your bird.

First thing's first. That gorgeous budgie of yours needs a cage. Your best bet here would be a starter cage that has a few wooden poles in it and troughs to place bird feed and water. These are good if you have 1 or 2 small birds, like budgies or sparrows. However, if you've bought a larger bird, like a parrot, macaw or parakeet, you'll definitely want a large cage, maybe as big as your desk or even bigger, if you decide you want to let your bird fly around.

As well, you must realize that almost all birds are by nature, very inquisitive and playful. They often need toys and trinkets (best left to dangle from the ceiling of the cage) that they can bat around and play with, or you'll soon end up with a very miserable bird. These are usually pretty cheap and you can get them at PJ's Pets, Petsmart or any other pet store.

The next thing you need is to buy food for your bird. Most birds have special foods designated just for that kind of bird. For example, some bags of bird food cater to small birds, like canaries, budgies and finches. However, there are other types of bird food that cater to larger birds like macaws and parrots. As well, there are many different types of birdfood. One of the most common and basic types is grain feed. It's basically a bag of seeds that you can feed your bird. Then there are the more exotic kinds like those colorful synthetic foods that sort of remind you of Fruit Loops. The most important thing to remember here though, is to buy the kind that is for your species of bird. Aside from that, you should be fine. Oh and, buying your budgie treat food (like spray millet for example) is always a good idea, but don't overdo it.

Now that you have all the basics, you must take care of your bird after it has settled down. Some ways to do this? Play with it, talk with it, and simply be around it. Birds, like most other house pets long for affection and companionship, and leaving them alone will only make them resent you more (so don't come running when your bird tries to peck you to bits!). Playing with them, letting them stretch their wings once in a while and giving them new toys and treat food will make them happier, live longer and like you more.

As well, you need to regard basic maintenance procedures like putting newspaper on the bottom of the cage (otherwise you'll have a hard time getting all that bird scat out) and refilling the food and water regularly.

And one last thing; don't leave your bird alone by itself for prolonged periods of time. Especially if you go on vacation, make sure you arrange for a friend to take care of it while your gone. Even better, get it a companion bird so it isn't as lonely.

Be sure to regard all of these basic bird care rules, and you'll be well on your way to hearing sweet chirping in the morning.

kamster

btw I actually wrote this about a week ago. Thanks goes to Helium for the prompt.

Car Insurance... for less!

Oh man. You just can't stop running your hands over your new Toyota. The paint job is flawless, sleek and dominating. Your neew car is really turning heads around where you work, and you're proud of having saved up enough to buy it. But now you have to worry about car insurance. Car insurance, car insurance. And today there are juts so many different companies out there wanting to insure your car! State Farm, Progressive, Geico and many others, all claiming to have the best rates. But when you look past the flashy advertisements and smooth talking advertise dudes, there is only one insurance company that you should go to for your car insurance: Cost-U-Less! This great car insurance group ahs been in the business for more than 25 years and they sure know what they are talking about. They have most of their stores in Northern California, but are currently expanding to and around Anaheim, Palmdale, Long Beach, Whittier, Pomona, Torrance, Santa Ana, San Bernardino, Victorville, Tarzana and Lancaster.

If you want cheap rates without any hidden fees and rate changes, this is where you need to get your car insured. Of course, there are no absolute guarantees that they will have the cheapest rate every time, but the chances are pretty good that they will have competitive rates up. And of course, a free insurance quote is free at their website.

Bottom line? If you're tired of Geico trying to sell you with that annoying green lizard, turn to Cost-U-Less instead and get insured TODAY.

This post is sponsored by Cost-U-Less Car Insurance.

The Great Wall is NOT in China

Hey so the other day I was browsing some random blogs and I came across this hilarious video from Youtube. It's one of those things making fun of Americans (sorry to all of you smart Americans out there. I know this doesn't apply to you) and their uh... low IQs. Or something. Well please don't take this personally (I myself think Americans are just fine) if you are an American but it was just too funny to pass up. This is sort of like that video where a man with a clipboard goes around asking women to sign a petition to end womens suffrage. Anyways, this video is hilarious. If i were the reporter asking the questions I'd probably piss myself and end up ruining the whole deal.

Enjoy!

kamster

A Better Shot IV: Macro

Alright. We've all seen those crazy postcard photos of those flowers that look so real and so textured you can almost touch them. So large and close to life size you can't believe its just a picture. Well, theres a reason they look that good. One of those reasons would probably be the great cameras that those tourist companies have, and the second reason would be that those pictures were taken with macro.

Now what exactly is macro? Well, first off, its a shooting mode that can be accessed on pretty much all digital cameras these days. it is usually indicated by a flower symbol (M is for manual mode). Why is this? It's simply because taking macro shots of flowers just looks... really good. So yes. Macro is obviously used for close ups of objects. This gives you a ton of detail and texture, and allows you to make a really great close-up of textured things like flower petals and metalwork, just to name a couple.

But more technically, macro is usually (at least when talking about film cameras) when the subject in the picture is in a 1:1 size ratio with its actual size. For example, you may be familiar with the Microsoft Word feature that allows you to change the percentage viewing of your document. Usually, this is set to 100% (by default). This means that the page you are viewing on your computer screen is the actualy size of the sheet of paper, and the actual size the words will turn out. This is the same for a typical 35mm macro lense; the subject usually looks the same size on film as it does in real life (however 1/2:1 is also sometimes considered macro).

Another important thing to note is that macro effectively "widens" (but not really) the lense size (for example increasing from 8mm to, say, 40mm). What this does is create more depth of field. And what THIS means is that in your picture, one subject will most likely be in sharp focus, while the background will be very blurred (not from the motion or camera shake but simply indistinct; blurred colors). If you take a look at this picture up there, you will see that the flowers and petals are in sharp focus, while the background is completely blurred. This is good when you want to focus on one subject at a close range.

It is usually not a good idea to use macro in very dark conditions, or with flash because this will probably kill your sensor. For more info about film speed and shooting in dark conditions, check out my previous post about film speed.

So get shooting. It's really a good way to make artistic photos without much skill, hehe. I think I abuse it just a bit too much.

kamster

By the way, I'm actually not that good at photography and alot of my terminology and technical specs will probably be innacurate.. Like when I say that it creates depth of field, what I'm really trying to say is something about the optimal range from the camera that your subject should be. This obviously will determine what will be in focus and what won't. With macro, the optimal range is probably half a foot at most.